1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable means for mounting an electronic accessory, and more particularly a supporting device for removably mounting the display panel of a boat depth-finder within an existing cylindrical receptacle, such as a beverage or cup holder.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, easily removable mounting devices for boat depth-finders fall in two categories: (1) devices that provide for mounting both the sonar transducer and the depth finder display panel and (2) devices that are sonar transducer mounts only which hook over the upper ledge of the boat's transom.
The first type of holder, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,272, issued to Baublitz, Sr. on Jun. 25, 1996, discloses an apparatus for holding a sonar transducer below the water level while supporting the depth-finder display panel within the boat along the perimeter of the boat's cockpit area. The Baublitz, Sr. holder consists of a tube with a means for mounting a sonar transducer to its bottom portion. The upper portion of the tube includes an open-faced box for holding the depth-finer display panel. The tube hooks onto the upper ledge of the transom of the boat by means of a boat clamp.
The second type of holder provides for a means of supporting the sonar transducer only. One such device, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,213, issued to Allen on Nov. 2, 1976, consists of a top portion which hooks over the upper ledge of the transom and is attached to a mounting post, the opposite side of which is a clamp that holds the transducer in a depth-sensing position. The entire device can be easily removed from the boat by pulling up on the attached handle.
Another such device, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,431, issued to McBride on Aug. 14, 1973, also has a bracket at the top which hooks over the upper ledge of the transom and a bracket at the bottom to which the sonar transducer is bolted and held below the water line. This type of holder also has a crank arm to adjust the depth of the sonar transducer.
It can readily be seen that the second type of holder allows for the portability of the sonar transducer unit only. In other words, while the sonar transducer can be removably mounted to the boat's transom, no provision is made for making portable the depth-finder display panel, which is usually permanently mounted on the upper portion of the boat's steering console.
The Baublitz, Sr. device goes part way to remedying this problem by providing a single means for removably mounting both the sonar transducer and the depth-finder display panel. However, it is apparent that the single means approach of Baublitz, Sr. is limited by its own functionality. By mounting both items on a single tube, the depth-finder display panel can only be mounted, and therefore viewed, along the perimeter of the boat's cockpit (see, FIGS. 7 and 8 of Baublitz, Sr., incorporated by reference herein).
On the other hand, the mounting means of the present invention allows for placement of the device in any available cylindrical receptacle such as a cup holder. Cup holders can be found molded into deck and steering console of many recreational power boats. Accordingly, the present invention provides for a more convenient means of viewing the depth-finder display panel by placing it within the cockpit of the boat readily accessible to the normal sitting or standing positions of the occupants.
Because the present invention can be placed in a cup holder, it is also related to the field of article holders utilizing a receptacle means. The art related to receptacle-type article holders is varied. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,534, issued to Mitchell on Dec. 29, 1992, discloses an adapter for adapting a container holder to support a container, such as a beverage container, in a substantially upright position. The Mitchell adapter cooperates with a beverage container or cup-type holder having a cylindrical receptacle for supporting beverage containers of various sizes and shapes.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,340 issued to Ruhnau on Oct. 14, 1997 shows an adapter for holding over-sized containers for use in cylindrical beverage receptacles, such as cup holders, found in many vehicles. The adapter has an enlarged upper portion to receive an over-sized beverage container and a lower portion comprising an insertion base sized to fit within a standard-sized vehicle cup holder.
It is apparent that the Mitchell and Ruhnau adapters are fashioned to compliment, but not expand upon, the original functionality of a cup holder. In other words, these adapters merely provide a means for mating over-sized or unusually shaped beverage containers with a standard-sized vehicle cup holder. However, creating a new use for a cup holder is not envisioned.
Multiple use holders are known in the patent literature. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,957, issued to Graham on Aug. 19, 1997, describes a golf cart accessory having an angled cylindrical fitting which can be interchangeably fitted with an umbrella mount or a beverage holder. The Graham patent device does not use a cup holder as the base receptacle for mounting an umbrella. Instead, the cylindrical fitting of Graham acts as a common receptacle for mounting various accessories.
Although Graham teaches the use of a common cylindrical receptacle for interchangeably mounting golf related accessories, it does not teach the use of an existing cup holder as a mounting base for a boating accessory such as the depth-finder display panel support of the present invention.
Accordingly, none of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a portable depth-finder display support solving the aforementioned problems is desired.